extra battery
10-30-2008, 03:09 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
extra battery
anyone familiar with setting up an extra battery? i wanna hook it up to the alternator so it charges and stuff just like a regularly functioning battery. any help appreciated.. thanks!
10-30-2008, 06:21 AM
#2
Moderator (Ret.)
It can be done one of two ways: cheap using a simple relay, or with a floater.
Personally, I'd take a trip to my local RV camping store and buy a "seperator" unit. Here is a link to one if you don't have access to an RV store:
http://www.surepower.com/separator.html
The other way (cheap) is to buy a simple relay. Install it as follows:
Post 87 of the relay will connect to your primary battery (use 8 gauge wire). Post 86 of relay will connect to the "trigger" (orange/blue strip wire off of the alternator connector). Post 85 of relay to ground. Post 30 of relay to positive post (+) of the aux (new battery). Connect the negative post of new battery (-) to ground as well.
I used to own a Volkswagon Camper (westfalia), and this aux battery setup was used to power the camper lights and such, without draining the primary (vehicles) battery, and both the primary and secondary batteries would charge up from the alternator when the engine was running.
The "seperator" boxes are a better method to use over the simple relay; they offer more efficiant charging between the two, as the aux battery will not get charged until the primary is fully charged first.
Personally, I'd take a trip to my local RV camping store and buy a "seperator" unit. Here is a link to one if you don't have access to an RV store:
http://www.surepower.com/separator.html
The other way (cheap) is to buy a simple relay. Install it as follows:
Post 87 of the relay will connect to your primary battery (use 8 gauge wire). Post 86 of relay will connect to the "trigger" (orange/blue strip wire off of the alternator connector). Post 85 of relay to ground. Post 30 of relay to positive post (+) of the aux (new battery). Connect the negative post of new battery (-) to ground as well.
I used to own a Volkswagon Camper (westfalia), and this aux battery setup was used to power the camper lights and such, without draining the primary (vehicles) battery, and both the primary and secondary batteries would charge up from the alternator when the engine was running.
The "seperator" boxes are a better method to use over the simple relay; they offer more efficiant charging between the two, as the aux battery will not get charged until the primary is fully charged first.
Last edited by Mod (Ret.); 10-30-2008 at 06:45 AM.